Karen Lam explains how she navigates her passion for the craft
When did you start to make jewellery and how did your passion for this come about?
My journey into jewellery making began just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the stresses of post-labour life and childcare, I found solace in the jewellery-making classes organised by Laura, who is a very experienced instructor and a great listener, in my local family centre in Craigmillar, Edinburgh. The supportive atmosphere of the class, coupled with Laura’s expertise, fuelled my creativity, and spurred me on to explore my newfound passion for crafting. To offload my growing pot of hand-made “treasure”, I started donating my products to local charity sales that turned out to be immensely rewarding. The positive feedback I have received from the customers further ignited my passion for this craft, pushing me to continuously improve and innovate. In essence, jewellery making has become more than just a hobby – it’s a source of joy, connection, and endless inspiration.
You use resin in your creations. How challenging and rewarding is it to use resin as an art form?
Working with resin in my creations has been both a challenging and incredibly rewarding experience. At first, I found myself navigating through its sticky nature, often ending up in quite the mess! Controlling the hardening time proved to be another hurdle, as predicting it accurately seemed like a daunting task. Battling bubbles became a part of the learning curve, but overcoming these challenges only made the final results even more satisfying. Particularly, mastering the art of floral arrangements in resin required a pair of steady hands, tonnes of patience, and dedication.
Despite the initial struggles, the beauty of resin creations cannot be overstated, especially in the floral creation that I specialised in. Every resin creation I make showcases its own distinctive design, offering endless possibilities for expressing artistic creativity. Personally, I think the biggest reward comes in the form of admirations of my creations from friends, families and even strangers!
You’re known for using freshwater peals in your jewellery making your pieces even more unique. What inspired you to use them in your designs?
The timeless elegance and classical appeal of pearls always resonate deeply with me. Having encountered an array of stunning pearl products during my travels to Southeast Asia, I was inspired to incorporate their beauty into my craft designs. Moreover, pearls possess remarkable versatility; they can exude understated simplicity or make a bold statement, making them suitable for a wide age range and diverse tastes. My mission as a jewellery designer is to create pieces that are accessible to everyone, regardless of budget constraints. By blending pearls with other materials like resin in my upcoming designs, I aim to offer unique and affordable jewellery that brings joy and pride to all who wear it.
What are your goals for 2024?
My foremost goal is to fortify my craft business, navigating the volatile economic climate to ensure its profitability and long-term viability, thereby enabling me to fund my passion for crafting and personal development. Creatively, I’m driven to explore new artistic dimensions and perfecting the art of elegant, professional presentation. I am currently venturing into the world of silversmithing to enhance my skill set. Amidst this journey, I’m equally thrilled to expand my circle of like-minded friends, creating a vibrant network of individuals who share my passion and inspire me to try new thing.
Karen Lam is a Hongkonger in Britain.
She is a full-time mum who enjoys crafting in her spare time.
Her passion is to create something for everyone, irrespective of age, gender or background and she loves to design new products that will give joy and pride to her customers.
